WORLD REFUGEE DAY 2023
The 20th of June marks the yearly World Refugee Day, an international celebration appointed by the United Nations to pay tribute to all refugees forced to leave their homes.
World refugee day honours the resilience and bravery refugees have for leaving their country due to conflict or persecution, and having to rebuild their lives from nothing. This international day is an opportunity to promote the compassion and understanding for their suffering, as well as to recognise their daily perseverance put in to working for a better life.
Through solidarity, we can fight for their right to safety and equal societal and economical inclusion. Additionally, together, we can promote solutions to their suffering.
“Refugees represent the very best of the human spirit. They need and deserve support and solidarity — not closed borders and pushbacks.”
António Guterres, UN Secretary-General – United Nations
Members initiatives
Big Hearts, the official Heart of Midlothian FC charity is proud to be the first organisation in Scotland running the social inclusion and employability project Welcome through Football. They aim to use the power of the club’s crest to make a meaningful difference to the lives of families and individuals who need their help most.
Omonoia Nicosia FC also honours World Refugee Day. Cyprus lived and is still experiencing the drama of the refugee. Cypriots know what it means to be forced to leave your home. Unfortunately, as long as there are wars and persecution, there will be refugees. It takes compassion, solidarity and action. Omonoia Nicosia FC honours the courage, strength and perseverance of those people around the world who have been forced to leave their homes and who struggle every day for a normal life.
Derby County Community Trust continuously works with local charities to support World Refugee Day.
As every year, AEK Athens FC honoured the World Refugee Day through the Welcome Through Football programme.
Welcome Through Football
Welcome Through Football is an EFDN initiative aiming to assist in the integration and inclusion of recently arrived young refugees, asylum seekers and young people with a migrant background. Moreover, the project assists football coaches and youth workers, in the development and sharing of effective methods in reaching out to the marginalised target group, to prevent racism and intolerance.
EFDN and partners have developed and tested a European methodology that uses football as a tool to reach refugees and migrants from different ages (7-25 years old) to get them physically and socially active in European communities.
Read more about Welcome Through Football here.
FUNDING PARTNERS
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGS)
